Painful Decision: Zo To Skip All-star Game

NBA - HEAT NOTEBOOK

MIAMI - — For the second time in the four years he has been selected for the All-Star Game, Heat center Alonzo Mourning will be a no-go for NBA's annual talent show.

Bothered by plantar fasciaitis in his right heel, Mourning skipped Thursday night's game against the Bucks at Miami Arena and plans to rest until Tuesday night's home game against Detroit.

The decision was especially difficult for Mourning, because he likely would have been named the Eastern Conference's starting center in the wake of the groin injury that has sidelined Knicks center Patrick Ewing.

"It's extremely disappointing because I would have been the starter on an All-Star team," said Mourning, who still plans to attend All-Star Weekend in Cleveland. "But I have to do what's best for the team. It's extremely important that I'm ready for Detroit."

Mourning has been selected for the All-Star Game in each of the past four years, but he also missed the 1994 game while with the Charlotte Hornets because of injury.

Mourning underwent an MRI Thursday that confirmed the injury that has nagged him in recent games.

Mourning is the fifth player to pull out of Sunday's All-Star Game because of injury, joining Ewing, Houston's Charles Barkley, Houston's Clyde Drexler and the Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal.

Mulling Mullin?

A report in the current issue of Sports Illustrated said Warriors forward Chris Mullin has forwarded a list of five teams he would like to be traded to. The list includes the Heat, Bulls, Hawks, Knicks and Magic.

Hardaway, Mullin's running mate during the Warriors' high-scoring seasons at the start of the decade, said he'd like to be reunited. "It could happen. That'd be nice," Hardaway said.